The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1887-05-14

It il clear statement of the spiritual !
ity Of the Divine kingdom. The Jews
were looking for an outward, external,
worldly kingdom. They expected the
Christ to establish temporal, earthly
government; that his kingdom would
be like the kingdoms of this world; that
he would reign over men aud things
like an Oriental monarch Or Roman
emperor Hence they asked when the
kingdom of God should come? They
expected it to come in a visible way, in
an external manner. so their eyes could
see it, and their hands handle it. In
reply, he says, very emphatically: 1.-The
kingdom of God cometh not with OBJ
servation neither shall they say, Lo
here; or Lo there for, behold the king
dom of God is within you"
In these words he declared the abso-
Lutte spirituality of the kingdom of God.
In them he differentiated it from all
other kingdoms. 1t is not political
kingdom. 1t has nothing to do directly
with political affairs. 1t seeks to es-
tablish no form of civil government.
It is not social kingdom. 1t does not
directly interfere with the economic
affairs of the world. It sets forth no
method in which economic goods shall
be produced and distributed. It reaches
these kingdoms, it is true, but it does
it indirectly, not directly. 1t reaches
them by working from within outward;
not by applying to them any external
machinery.
Further, it is not material king
dom. 1t is not kingdom Of physical
nature. You cannot see it as you do
forms of matter. 1t is not governed by
mechanical laws Or moved by physical
forces. Everything of an external,
material, worldly character, is excluded
from this kingdom. 1t is absolutely a
spiritual kingdom. It's laws are spirit
ual laws, and its forces are spiritual
forces. Morals, not mechanics, obtain
in this kingdom. It is the kingdom OF
God. It is the world within. 1t is the
dominion of the spirit. AL souls be-
long to it. All spiritual beings are
members of it, 1t is within you.
This is the kingdom that Christ es-
says to rule. He does not create this
kingdom; he seeks to rule and govern
it. He would put his spirit into it.
He would enlighten it by his truth and
sanctify it by his love. By the forces of
his gospel he would rule this world
within. He would make it the yerita-
bic kingdom OF God, not only in nature
but in character. He would make it
the kingdom of heaven. God al in all;
in every soul. Hence all the work of
Christ is in this kingdom. He speaks
to the world within. He seeks to in
fuence and control the spirit. All
preaching of the gospel is the preach
ing of soul to soul, heart to heart. All
prayer is of the spirit, with the spirit,
and all communion is the communion
Of soul.
So then the kingdom of God is utterly,
absolutely spiritual, and in this spirit
ual kingdom Christ works, and it is this
spiritual kingdom. this kingdom within,
this kingdom in every soul, that he
seeks TO make as holy and divine as il
is spiritual and eternal.
Now, if we fully grasp this great
truth of the absolute spirituality of
Gods kingdom, and keep it constantly
in mind, and never lose sight of it, it
will help us solve some of the problems
Of religion, that have, and do greatly
trouble mankind. Professedly all Christ
ians hold this truth. All believe that
Christ's kingdom is spiritual, but they
do not keep it in mind; they lose sight
of it, when considering many of the
great questions of religion. Let US
take some examples that we may see
both how Christians lose sight of this
great truth, and how it answers these
questions, and solves these problems.
/. Take the question of heaven and
hell How this question has agitated
the minds of men How they have
agonized over it Where is heaven !?
Where is hell ? When is heaven When
is hell =? These questions have agitated
The minds of men for ages, and they
agitate their minds yet.
See now how Christians have lost
sight of the spirituality of the kingdom
of God in their attempts to answer
these questions. Here are some who
say that heaven is an earthly paradise
yet to be. It is millennial glory yet
to be realized and enjoyed in this world.
But first, this world must be purified.
Before there can be any heaven, there
must come great cosmic catastrophe
that shall destroy the worlds evil and
fit it for the abode of righteousness.
SO heaven is this renovated earth, and
hell is the blaze of fire that purifies the
world and burns up the sinners. See
how materialistic that is See how
utterly void Of spirituality 1t is as
far removed from the thought of the
kingdom that Christ gives, as the old
Jewish conception of worldly glory and